JP5854181B1 - Moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

The moving body (1) includes a main body (10), a main wheel (11), a support (12), an auxiliary wheel (13), a blocking unit (not shown), an inclination angle sensor (20), Gyro sensor (24), seating plate (51), tilt angle sensor (20), control unit (21), main wheel drive unit (26), user I / F (28), manual brake ( 29) and an auxiliary sensor (30). The control unit (21) has a first control mode for performing inverted pendulum control and a second control mode. In the second control mode, the control unit (21) drives and controls the rotation of the main wheel (11) until the angle formed between the main body unit (10) and the support unit (12) becomes θ2 smaller than θ1, Turn off the inverted pendulum control. θ2 is set in advance by the blocking unit at an angle at which the center of gravity of the main body (10) is between the rotation axis of the main wheel (11) and the rotation axis of the second wheel.

Description

  The present invention relates to a moving body provided with wheels, and more particularly to a moving body that drives and controls wheels.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a moving body that performs inverted pendulum control by driving and controlling wheels is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pair of wheels, a drive unit that drives the pair of wheels, a main body unit that is rotatably supported in the pitch direction with respect to the pair of wheels, and a pitch direction with respect to the main body unit. A walking auxiliary vehicle is disclosed that includes an auxiliary wheel that is rotatably supported, a gyro sensor that detects an angular velocity in a pitch direction of the main body, and a battery that supplies a driving voltage to the driving unit. A grip portion is provided at an end of the main body portion opposite to the pair of wheels. The battery is mounted on the main body.

  A user such as an elderly person or a disabled person grasps the grip part from the side opposite to the auxiliary wheel (that is, uses the auxiliary wheel as a front wheel and a pair of wheels as a rear wheel), and moves the walking auxiliary vehicle in the traveling direction on the ground. . The walking assist vehicle performs inverted pendulum control for controlling the rotation of the pair of wheels by the drive unit based on the output of the gyro sensor. Thereby, the said walk auxiliary vehicle balances with a pair of wheel, and assists a user's walk.

International Publication No. 2012/114597 Pamphlet

  However, the walking assist vehicle of Patent Document 1 cannot perform the inverted pendulum control because the drive unit cannot be driven, for example, when the battery runs out or when the battery stops abnormally.

  As described above, when the inverted pendulum control is turned off, the walking assist vehicle of Patent Document 1 is balanced by a pair of wheels, and therefore, there is a possibility that the balance is lost and the vehicle is overturned.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a small and lightweight moving body that can prevent the body from toppling over.

  The moving body of the present invention includes a first wheel, a second wheel that rotates on a rotation shaft different from the first wheel, a support unit that connects the first wheel and the second wheel, and a rotation shaft or support of the first wheel. A main body that is rotatably supported in the pitch direction with respect to the part, a drive control unit that drives and controls the first wheel, and an angle change detection unit that detects an angular change in the inclination angle of the main body in the pitch direction; It is equipped with.

  Further, the drive control unit rotates the first wheel based on the output of the angle change detection unit so that the angle change of the main body unit becomes zero and the angle of the main body unit with respect to the vertical direction becomes a predetermined angle. Inverted pendulum control is turned off by tilting the main body to the second wheel side until the position where the center of gravity of the main body is more stable than when controlling in the first control mode. A second control mode.

  The moving body includes switching means for switching between the first control mode and the second control mode.

  In the first control mode, the posture of the main body is maintained in the vertical direction or a direction close to vertical by the inverted pendulum control. In this 1st control mode, since the said mobile body is the independent state, it can be used as a handcart. In the first control mode, for example, when a switching instruction is given by a changeover switch, the posture of the main body is changed to the second control mode that is largely inclined from the vertical direction to the second wheel side.

  In the second control mode, the inverted pendulum control is turned off after the main body portion tilts toward the second wheel to a position where the center of gravity of the main body portion is more stable than in the control in the first control mode. Can prevent falls.

  Here, in the present invention, unlike a car or the like, a plurality of wheels are not provided on the moving body at intervals in the traveling direction of the moving body. Therefore, in this invention, a moving body does not enlarge or the weight of a moving body does not increase.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the main body from overturning and to provide a small and lightweight moving body.

  In the second control mode, when a switching instruction is given again, the first control mode is restored.

  In addition, the moving body of the present invention includes a blocking unit that blocks the inclination of the main body so that the angle formed by the main body and the support unit is less than a certain value, and the drive control unit is moved to the main body until blocked by the blocking unit. It is preferable to incline the portion toward the second wheel. It is preferable to set the position where the center of gravity of the main body is more stable than the control in the first control mode as described above by the blocking unit.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a 2nd wheel is located behind a 1st wheel with respect to the advancing direction of the support part by rotation of a 1st wheel.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the main-body part is supported so that it can rotate in a pitch direction with respect to the rotating shaft of a 1st wheel.

  Examples of triggers for switching between the first control mode and the second control mode are as follows.

(1) When an instruction to stop rotation of the first wheel is received For example, a manual brake is provided. When the user turns on the manual brake and gives an instruction to stop the rotation of the first wheel, the user shifts to a safe state by first shifting to the second control mode. Thereafter, the moving body can be stopped in a safe state by applying the manual brake. In addition, after stopping a mobile body, you may stop a drive and control of a 1st wheel.

(2) When an obstacle is detected by an obstacle detection sensor When an obstacle such as a large step or a wall is detected in the front, a safe state (second It is preferable to shift to the control mode.

(3) When an impact detection sensor is provided and an impact is detected Even when an impact is detected, such as when it collides with an obstacle, the first control mode is shifted to a safe state (the second control mode). ) Is preferable.

(4) When a seating plate whose one end is rotatably connected to the main body is detected and it is detected that the seating plate is at a predetermined angle with respect to the main body, when the seating plate is opened, the user It is preferable to shift to a safe state (second control mode). Furthermore, it is preferable to stop driving and controlling the first wheel after shifting to the second control mode.

(5) When the torque generated for the first wheel exceeds a predetermined value For example, even when an abnormal torque is generated in the motor due to a foreign object caught in the first wheel, the safe state (second control mode) ) Is preferable.

(6) When the human body stops touching the main body using the touch sensor When the moving body is used as a wheelbarrow and the hand is released, the safe state (second control mode) may be entered. preferable. In this case, it is preferable that the drive control unit stops driving and controlling the first wheel after shifting to the second control mode.

(7) When the remaining amount of power stored in the battery is low If the remaining battery power is exhausted, the inverted pendulum control cannot be performed, and the main body may fall over. Therefore, it is preferable to shift to a safe state (second control mode) even when the remaining battery level is low.

(8) When the idling of the first wheel is detected Even when the first wheel is idling on a bad road or the like, it is preferable to shift to a safe state (second control mode).

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a small and lightweight movable body that can prevent the main body from toppling over.

It is an appearance perspective view of mobile 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the moving body 1 shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the moving body 1 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows switching with a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode by a manual brake. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode according to the detection result of an obstruction detection sensor. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode according to the detection result of an impact detection sensor. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode according to opening and closing of a seating board. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode by the presence or absence of motor torque abnormality. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode by the presence or absence of a human body contact. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode with battery remaining charge. It is a figure which shows the example in the case of switching a 1st control mode and a 2nd control mode by the presence or absence of idling of a main wheel.

  Hereinafter, a mobile object according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a moving body 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the moving body 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the moving body 1 shown in FIG.

  The moving body 1 includes a main body portion 10, a main wheel 11, a support portion 12, an auxiliary wheel 13, a blocking portion (not shown), an inclination angle sensor 20, a gyro sensor 24, and a seating plate 51. ing.

  In this embodiment, the mobile body 1 is a walking assistance vehicle that assists the walking of users such as the elderly and the disabled. In addition, the mobile body 1 is used as a stroller or a shopping cart, for example.

  The main wheel 11 corresponds to the “first wheel” of the present invention. The auxiliary wheel 13 corresponds to the “second wheel” of the present invention.

  The main body 10 is a frame-like member that is long in the vertical direction (Z and −Z directions shown in FIG. 1) and short in the depth direction (Y and −Y directions shown in FIG. 1). The main body 10 includes therein a battery for supplying a driving voltage to each part of the moving body 1, a control board, and the like.

  One end of the main body 10 in the vertically downward direction (the −X direction shown in FIG. 1) is supported so as to be rotatable in the pitch direction with respect to the rotation axis of the pair of main wheels 11.

  The support portion 12 is a plate-like member that extends in parallel with the horizontal ground with respect to the traveling direction of the moving body 1 (the Y direction shown in FIG. 1). The support portion 12 is supported so as to be rotatable in the pitch direction with respect to the rotation axis of the pair of main wheels 11.

  In addition, the support part 12 does not necessarily need to be parallel to the horizontal ground. When the support unit 12 is not parallel to the horizontal ground, programming that considers the angle between the horizontal ground and the support unit 12 in advance may be performed on a program stored in the ROM 22 described later.

  One auxiliary wheel 13 is provided below the other end of the support portion 12 on the side not supported by the main wheel 11. Thereby, the support part 12 connects the main wheel 11 and the auxiliary wheel 13. Further, both the main wheel 11 and the auxiliary wheel 13 are in contact with the ground.

  In addition, although the main-body part 10 in this embodiment is supported so that it can rotate in a pitch direction with respect to the rotating shaft of a pair of main wheel 11, it does not restrict to this. The main body 10 at the time of implementation may be supported so as to be rotatable in the pitch direction with respect to the support 12.

  The pair of main wheels 11 are attached to the same shaft and rotate synchronously. However, the two main wheels 11 can be individually driven and rotated.

  One auxiliary wheel 13 is rotatably supported by the support part 12 behind the main wheel 11 with respect to the traveling direction of the moving body 1. Therefore, in the mobile body 1, the pair of main wheels 11 are front wheels, and one auxiliary wheel 13 is a rear wheel. Further, the diameter of each main wheel 11 is longer than the diameter of the auxiliary wheel 13.

  In addition, in this embodiment, although the main wheel 11 has shown the example which is two wheels, it is not restricted to two wheels. Similarly, an example in which the auxiliary wheel 13 is also one wheel is shown, but it is not limited to one wheel. For example, when there are two auxiliary wheels and two auxiliary wheels are arranged so as to sandwich the user from both sides, the width of the moving body in the pitch direction can be reduced, so that the moving body can be made compact. .

  Moreover, in the mobile body 1 of this embodiment, although the main wheel 11 is a front wheel and the auxiliary wheel 13 is a rear wheel, the example is not limited to this. For example, the auxiliary wheel may be a front wheel and the main wheel may be a rear wheel. Here, when the main wheel is the front wheel, since one auxiliary wheel is arranged at the user's foot, the user's foot may trip on the one auxiliary wheel. Therefore, it is preferable to use two auxiliary wheels and arrange the two auxiliary wheels so as to sandwich the user from both sides. When the main wheel is a front wheel, the user is inclined backward when changing from the first control mode to the second control mode, and therefore, the user is less likely to feel fear. On the other hand, when the main wheel is the rear wheel, the user's foot is less likely to trip on one auxiliary wheel, but the user leans forward when changing from the first control mode to the second control mode. Thereby, a user may feel a fear.

  A cylindrical grip 16 is provided at the other end of the main body 10 opposite to the main wheel 11. A user interface such as a power switch (user I / F 28 shown in FIG. 3) is provided on the upper surface of the grip portion 16. A manual brake 29 is attached to a position near the grip portion 16 in the main body portion 10.

  The user grips the grip portion 16 or places a forearm or the like on the grip portion 16 and uses the moving body 1 as a handcart by friction between the grip portion 16 and the forearm or the like.

  The main body 10 is actually provided with a cover so that the internal substrate and the like cannot be seen in appearance.

  The main body unit 10 is provided with a gyro sensor 24. An inclination angle sensor 20 is provided on the upper surface of the support portion 12. Details of the gyro sensor 24 and the tilt angle sensor 20 will be described later.

  Further, the blocking portion is provided at a connection portion between the main body portion 10 and the support portion 12. The blocking portion is a stopper, and physically blocks the angle formed by the main body portion 10 and the support portion 12 from being less than a certain value. In the present embodiment, the rotation of the main body part 10 or the support part 12 is prevented so that the angle formed by the main body part 10 and the support part 12 is less than θ2. Details of the blocking unit and θ2 will be described later.

  In addition to the physical stopper, the blocking unit may block the angle formed between the main body unit 10 and the support unit 12 from being less than a constant by control using a limit sensor.

  Next, the configuration and basic operation of the moving body 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the moving body 1 includes an inclination angle sensor 20, a control unit 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, a gyro sensor 24, a main body drive unit 25, a main wheel drive unit 26, an auxiliary wheel drive unit 27, a user I / F28, manual brake 29, and auxiliary sensor 30 are provided.

  The control unit 21 and the main wheel drive unit 26 constitute the “drive control unit” of the present invention. The gyro sensor 24 constitutes an “angle change detection unit” of the present invention.

  The control unit 21 is a functional unit that controls the moving body 1 in an integrated manner, and implements various operations by reading a program stored in the ROM 22 and developing the program in the RAM 23.

  The main body drive unit 25 rotates the main body unit 10 in the pitch direction by driving a motor provided at a connection portion between the main body unit 10 and the support unit 12.

  The tilt angle sensor 20 detects the tilt angle of the support unit 112 with respect to the vertical direction and outputs the detected tilt angle to the control unit 21. Based on the detection result of the tilt angle sensor 20, the control unit 21 estimates the tilt angle of the ground on which the moving body 1 is present with respect to the vertical direction.

  The gyro sensor 24 detects the angular velocity in the pitch direction of the main body unit 10 and outputs it to the control unit 21.

  The moving body 1 may include an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in each direction of the main body 10 and a rotary encoder that detects an intersection angle formed by the main body 10 and the support 12.

  As a basic operation, the control unit 21 detects an angle change of the inclination angle in the pitch direction of the main body 10 based on the detection result of the gyro sensor 24 so that the angle change of the main body 10 becomes zero, and the main body The main wheel drive unit 26 is controlled so that the angle of the unit 10 with respect to the vertical direction becomes a target angle (for example, 0 or a value close to 0).

  The main wheel drive unit 26 is a functional unit that drives a motor that rotates a shaft attached to the main wheel 11, and rotates the main wheel 11 according to the control of the control unit 21. The main wheel drive unit 26 is provided on the bottom surface of the support unit 12 and drives the pair of main wheels 11.

  The auxiliary wheel drive unit 27 is a functional unit that drives a motor that rotates a shaft attached to the auxiliary wheel 13, and can also rotate the auxiliary wheel 13 according to the control of the control unit 21. However, the driving of the auxiliary wheel 13 by the auxiliary wheel driving unit 27 is not an essential configuration in the present invention.

  Here, an example in which the gyro sensor 24 is used as a means for detecting the angle change of the tilt angle of the main body 10 in the pitch direction is shown, but an acceleration sensor can be used, and any sensor can be used. It may be used. For example, when detecting the crossing angle of the support part 12 with respect to the main-body part 10 using a rotary encoder, it is also possible to estimate the inclination angle with respect to the vertical direction of the main-body part 10 from the said crossing angle.

  In this way, the moving body 1 performs the inverted pendulum control as a basic operation, and performs control so as to keep the posture of the main body 10 substantially constant. Since the mobile body 1 maintains a substantially constant posture even when the user holds the grip portion 16 and pushes the mobile body 1, the mobile body 1 can be used as a handcart.

  By always performing the inverted pendulum control, the moving body 1 is less likely to fall over even when only the main wheel 11 is grounded.

  However, for example, if the power is turned off while the center of gravity of the main body 10 is in front of the main wheel 11 (Y direction), the posture of the main body 10 cannot be controlled, and a constant posture is maintained. It ’s gone. In the worst case, there is a possibility that the mobile body 1 or the user loses balance and falls.

  Therefore, the control unit 21 tilts the main body 10 toward the auxiliary wheel 13 to a position where the center of gravity of the main body 10 is more stable than in the first control mode in which the inverted pendulum control is performed and the control in the first control mode. And a second control mode for turning off the inverted pendulum control.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating switching between the first control mode and the second control mode. FIG. 4A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 4C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 4A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above to keep the posture of the main body 10 constant. Here, the rotation of the main wheel 11 is driven and controlled so that the posture of the main body 10 is maintained in a direction close to vertical (that is, the angle between the main body 10 and the support 12 is θ1).

  In the first control mode, the posture of the main body unit 10 is maintained in a nearly vertical state. Therefore, if the inverted pendulum control is suddenly turned off, the main body unit 10 is viewed forward (in the direction in which θ1 increases) or rearward. It falls in the direction (direction in which θ1 decreases). The urging force that falls may cause the moving body 1 to fall or the user to fall.

  In particular, when the center of gravity of the main body 10 is not between the rotation axis of the main wheel 11 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel 13, for example, in the first control mode, when the angle θ1 exceeds 90 °, the moving body The balance of 1 is not stable and the possibility of falling is increased.

  Here, when the user operates the changeover switch in the user I / F 28 to instruct a mode change (s11), the control unit 21 shifts to the second control mode as shown in FIG. 4B. (S12).

  In the second control mode, the control unit 21 drives and controls the rotation of the main wheel 11 until the angle between the main body unit 10 and the support unit 12 is smaller than θ1, and turns off the inverted pendulum control. The angle θ2 is set in advance to an angle at which the center of gravity of the main body 10 is between the rotation axis of the main wheel 11 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel 13. In the present embodiment, the angle θ2 is set by the blocking unit.

  The blocking unit is a stopper, and physically blocks (rotates) the body unit 10 beyond a certain level. The structure of the blocking portion is, for example, a metal block attached to the support portion 12 so as to limit the swing range of the main body portion 10. The blocking portion may have a stopper bolt structure that can adjust the swing range. The material of the stopper is not limited to metal, but may be resin or rubber.

  In the present embodiment, the blocking unit prevents the rotation (tilt) of the main body 10 such that the angle formed by the main body 10 and the support 12 is less than θ2. That is, in the second control mode, the control unit 21 drives and controls the rotation of the main wheel 11 until the main body unit 10 contacts the blocking unit and is prevented from rotating, and turns off the inverted pendulum control.

  In the second control mode, the inverted pendulum control is turned off at a position where the center of gravity of the main body 10 is between the rotation shaft of the main wheel 11 and the rotation shaft of the second wheel. More specifically, the center of gravity of the main body 10 is located between the rotation axis of the main wheel 11 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel 13, and the position of the main body 10 is higher than that in the control in the first control mode. The inverted pendulum control is turned off after shifting to a position where the balance is stable.

  Therefore, it is preferable that the angle θ2 is set by the blocking unit at an angle at which the main body unit 10 is most balanced. In addition, you may detect that the main-body part 10 inclined to this angle (theta) 2 with a limit sensor.

  At this time, since the main body portion 10 is in contact with the blocking portion, the center of gravity of the main body portion 10 is not further shifted backward. Further, since the gravitational torque of the grip portion 16 works backward, the center of gravity of the main body portion 10 does not shift forward unless the user intentionally tilts the main body portion 10 forward.

  Further, unlike the case where the inverted pendulum control is suddenly turned off, the rotation of the main wheel 11 can be driven and controlled until the angle formed between the main body 10 and the support 12 becomes θ2 smaller than θ1. Therefore, the urging force that causes the main body 10 to fall is relatively gentle. And the moving body 1 can complete | finish inverted pendulum control in the state where the balance was stabilized. As described above, it is possible to prevent the mobile body 1 from falling or the user from falling.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the overturn and to provide a small and lightweight movable body 1.

  Note that the controller 21 may stop driving and controlling the main wheels 11 after shifting to the second control mode. Even in this case, since the main wheel 11 and the auxiliary wheel 13 can roll, they can be used as a handcart.

  Thereafter, when a switching instruction is given again in the second control mode (s11), the control unit 21 returns to the first control mode (s12).

  In the above example, the trigger for switching between the first control mode and the second control mode is shown when the changeover switch in the user I / F 28 is used, that is, when the user himself switches, for example, the following example Is also possible.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode by manual braking. FIG. 5A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 5B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D are flowcharts showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 5A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above to keep the posture of the main body 10 constant. When the user operates the manual brake 29 (s21), the control unit 21 shifts to the second control mode as shown in FIG. 5B (s22).

  Thereafter, the control unit 21 locks the main wheel 11 or the auxiliary wheel 13 and enables the brake operation by the manual brake 29 (s23). The main wheel 11 or the auxiliary wheel 13 may be mechanically locked or may be electromagnetically locked. Thereafter, the control unit 21 stops driving and controlling the main wheel 11 (s24). Thereby, the moving body 1 will be in the completely stopped state.

  On the other hand, when the user performs an operation of releasing the manual brake 29 (s31), the control unit 21 releases the lock of the main wheel 11 and the auxiliary wheel 13 (s32), and returns to the first control mode (s33). ). Thereby, the mobile body 1 can be used again as a handcart.

  Next, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode according to the detection result of the obstacle detection sensor. FIG. 6A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 6B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 6C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 6A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above to keep the posture of the main body 10 constant. Here, when an obstacle detection sensor (for example, a sensor composed of ultrasonic waves, infrared rays, or the like) provided in front of the main body unit 10 among the auxiliary sensors 30 detects an obstacle (s41), the control unit 21 As shown in FIG. 6 (B), the process shifts to the second control mode (s42).

  Also in this case, the control unit 21 may stop driving and controlling the main wheel 11 after shifting to the second control mode. The control unit 21 may be configured to return to the first control mode when the obstacle detection sensor no longer detects an obstacle, or to perform an operation that the user explicitly returns to the first control mode. Only when the operation is performed by the I / F 28 (for example, when the power is turned off and then turned on again), the first control mode may be restored.

  Next, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with the detection result of the impact detection sensor. FIG. 7A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 7B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 7C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 7A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above to keep the posture of the main body 10 constant. Here, when the impact detection sensor provided in the main body 10 among the auxiliary sensors 30 detects a large impact such as a collision (s51), the control unit 21 performs the second operation as shown in FIG. 7B. The control mode is shifted to (S52). The impact sensor is composed of, for example, a triaxial acceleration sensor, and determines that a large impact such as a collision has been detected when an acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold is detected.

  Also in this case, the control unit 21 may stop driving and controlling the main wheel 11 after shifting to the second control mode. The control unit 21 may be configured to return to the first control mode after elapse of a predetermined time, or only when the user explicitly performs an operation to return to the first control mode using the user I / F 28. You may make it return to 1st control mode.

  Next, FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with opening and closing of the seating plate. 8A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 8B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 8C is a schematic side view showing a state where the user is seated on the seating plate. FIG. 8D is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In this example, a seating plate 51 is provided in front of the main body 10 (Y direction). One end of the seating plate 51 is rotatably connected to the main body 10, and the other end is detachable from the main body 10. The seating plate 51 is horizontal or close to horizontal when the main body unit 10 shifts to the second control mode, so that the user can sit on the seating plate 51.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 8A, the posture of the main body 10 is kept constant by always performing the inverted pendulum control as described above. Here, when the seating plate sensor provided in the main body unit 10 among the auxiliary sensors 30 detects that the other end of the seating plate 51 has been detached from the main body unit 10 (s61), the control unit 21 performs FIG. As shown to (B), it transfers to 2nd control mode (s62).

  The reason why the auxiliary sensor 30 causes the other end of the seating plate 51 to come off from the main body 10 is when the user operates the seating plate 51 or when the seating plate 51 opens unintentionally for some reason. Including. In the latter case, since the seating plate 51 protrudes forward as viewed from the user, it may be dangerous to use it as it is. Therefore, it is preferable to shift to the second control mode even when the seating plate 51 is unintentionally removed.

  When the mode is shifted to the second control mode, the user can sit on the seating plate 51 as shown in FIG. Also in this case, the control unit 21 may stop driving and controlling the main wheel 11 after shifting to the second control mode (s63).

  When the auxiliary sensor 30 detects the attachment of the other end of the seating plate 51 to the main body unit 10, the control unit 21 may return to the first control mode, or the user may return the other end of the seating plate 51. The user I / F 28 performed an operation of explicitly returning to the first control mode after mounting (for example, turning off the power at one end and then mounting the other end of the seating plate 51 to turn on the power again. Only in such a case, the first control mode may be restored.

  Next, FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in the case of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode depending on the presence or absence of motor torque abnormality. FIG. 9A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode, and FIG. 9B is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the second control mode. FIG. FIG. 9C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 9A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above, so that the posture of the main body 10 is kept constant. Here, when the control unit 21 detects an abnormality in the torque generated with respect to the main wheel 11 by the torque detection sensor among the auxiliary sensors 30 (s71), as shown in FIG. The process shifts to the control mode (s72). Thereafter, the control unit 21 stops driving and controlling the main wheel 11 (s73).

  Thereby, even when a situation such as a foreign object caught in the main wheel 11 occurs, it is possible to shift to a safe state so that the main body 10 does not fall over while protecting the motor. The torque generated for the main wheel 11 can be detected by referring to the current supplied to the motor. For example, when the instantaneous torque value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, or when the torque value continues to be equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined time or longer, the torque abnormality is detected.

  In this case, it is preferable that the control unit 21 return to the first control mode only when the user performs an operation to explicitly return to the first control mode using the user I / F 28.

  Next, FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in the case of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode depending on the presence or absence of human contact. FIG. 10A is a schematic side view showing the posture of the moving body 1 in the first control mode (the moment when the user releases the moving body 1), and FIG. 10B shows the second control mode. It is a schematic side view which shows the attitude | position of the mobile body 1 at the time. FIG. 10C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In the first control mode shown in FIG. 10A, the inverted pendulum control is always performed as described above to keep the posture of the main body 10 constant. Here, the control unit 21 detects that the user's hand has been released by the touch sensor provided in the grip unit 16 of the auxiliary sensor 30 (s81), and when a predetermined time has passed (s82), FIG. As shown to (B), it transfers to 2nd control mode (s83).

  Thereafter, the control unit 21 locks the main wheel 11 or the auxiliary wheel 13 and stops the movement of the moving body 1 (s84). The drive and control of the main wheel 11 are stopped (s85). Thereby, the moving body 1 will be in the completely stopped state.

  Next, FIG. 11 is a diagram (flowchart) illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode depending on the remaining battery level.

  When the remaining battery power is exhausted, the inverted pendulum control cannot be performed, and the main body may fall. Therefore, the control part 21 transfers to a 2nd control mode, when the battery remaining charge becomes less than a predetermined threshold value by the detection by the remaining amount detection sensor among the auxiliary sensors 30 (s121). In this case, it is preferable that the control unit 21 maintains the second control mode and does not shift to the first control mode until the remaining battery level returns to a predetermined threshold value or more.

  Next, FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching between the first control mode and the second control mode depending on whether or not the main wheel is idling.

  FIG. 12A is a schematic side view showing a case where the vehicle travels on a rough road and the main wheel 11 is idling, and FIG. 12B shows a case where the main wheel 11 collides with an obstacle and the main wheel 11 is idling. It is a schematic side view. FIG. 12C is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving body 1.

  In this example, when the idling of the main wheel 11 is detected by the idling detection sensor of the auxiliary sensors 30 (s91), the control unit 21 shifts to the second control mode (s92). The idling of the main wheel 11 can be detected by referring to the value of the rotary encoder in the auxiliary sensor 30 or referring to the motor torque.

  When idling of the main wheel 11 is detected in s91, the control mode is switched to the second control mode in s92 and the inverted pendulum control is turned off. As a result, unexpected runaway of the moving body 1 and battery consumption can be prevented.

  Finally, the description of the embodiment should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above embodiments but by the claims. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mobile body 10 ... Main-body part 11 ... Main wheel 12 ... Support part 13 ... Auxiliary wheel 16 ... Grip part 20 ... Inclination angle sensor 21 ... Control part 22 ... ROM
23 ... RAM
24 ... Gyro sensor 25 ... Main body drive unit 26 ... Main wheel drive unit 27 ... Auxiliary wheel drive unit 29 ... Manual brake 30 ... Auxiliary sensor 51 ... Seating plate

Claims (13)

A first wheel;
A second wheel that rotates on a rotation axis different from the first wheel;
A support portion connecting the first wheel and the second wheel;
A main body that is rotatably supported in the pitch direction with respect to the rotation axis of the first wheel or the support;
A drive controller for driving and controlling the first wheel;
An angle change detector for detecting an angle change of an inclination angle of the main body in the pitch direction;
With
The drive control unit
Based on the output of the angle change detector, the rotation of the first wheel is controlled so that the angle change of the main body becomes zero and the angle of the main body with respect to the vertical direction becomes a predetermined angle. A first control mode for performing inverted pendulum control;
A second control mode for tilting the main body toward the second wheel to a position where the center of gravity of the main body is more stable than during control in the first control mode and turning off the inverted pendulum control. And
A moving body comprising switching means for switching between the first control mode and the second control mode. A blocking portion for blocking the inclination of the main body so that the angle formed by the main body and the support is less than a certain value;
2. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the drive control unit tilts the main body toward the second wheel until it is blocked by the blocking unit.   The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the second wheel is located behind the first wheel with respect to a traveling direction of the support portion due to the rotation of the first wheel.   The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the main body is supported so as to be rotatable in a pitch direction with respect to a rotation axis of the first wheel.   The drive control unit switches from the first control mode to the second control mode when receiving an instruction to stop the rotation of the first wheel. The moving body according to Crab. With an obstacle detection sensor,
The said switching means switches the said 1st control mode and the said 2nd control mode according to the output of the said obstacle detection sensor, The Claim 1 thru | or 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Moving body. Equipped with an impact detection sensor,
The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the switching unit switches between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with an output of the impact detection sensor. body. A seating plate having one end rotatably connected to the main body;
A seating plate sensor that detects whether or not the seating plate is at a predetermined angle with respect to the main body, and the switching means is configured to change the first control mode according to the output of the seating plate sensor. The moving body according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second control mode is switched.   The moving body according to claim 8, wherein the drive control unit stops driving and controlling the first wheel after shifting to the second control mode. A torque detection sensor for detecting whether or not the torque generated for the first wheel of the drive control unit exceeds a predetermined value;
The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the switching means switches between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with an output of the torque detection sensor. body. A touch sensor that detects whether or not a human body is touching the main body part is provided in a part of the main body part,
The moving body according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the switching means switches between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with an output of the touch sensor. . A battery for supplying a drive voltage to the drive controller;
A remaining amount detection sensor for detecting the remaining amount of electricity stored in the battery,
12. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit switches between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with an output of the remaining amount detection sensor. Moving body. Comprising an idling detection sensor for detecting idling of the first wheel;
The drive control unit rotates the main body in the pitch direction,
The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the switching unit switches between the first control mode and the second control mode in accordance with an output of the idling detection sensor. body.

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